The invention concerns a rotationally elastic coupling, in which two mutually rotatable half-couplings are connected with one another so as to transmit force by means of at least one sprung intermediate link and, in series with this sprung intermediate link in terms of the force transmission path through the coupling, by means of at least one movement-converting intermediate link converting a rotation into a translational movement or, vice versa, a translational movement into a rotation.
A coupling of this type is the subject of the not previously published European Patent Application 82,109, 563.5. The sprung intermediate links of this coupling are special rubber springs with and without vulcanised-in intermediate sheet metal parts for preventing lateral expansion and the movement-converting intermediate link is an eccentric which is directly in contact with the sprung intermediate links via an eccentric bearing and deforms the intermediate links when positively loaded in elastic compression in a radially outwards direction.
Particularly in the case where the sprung intermediate links are embodied in the form of rubber springs, this coupling presents an often undesirable increasing progression of the spring characteristic in the high rotational speed range because of the centrifugal forces arising. The stiffening of the spring characteristic of a rubber spring, which occurs in any case, with increasing compressive load, is thus amplified in the same direction by the centrifugal force. This undesirable and prematurely occurring increased stiffness of the spring characteristic with increasing speed becomes quite noticeable, for example, when used in a coupling for a vehicle drive at rotational speeds above about 3,000 rpm.